It was a one-in-a-million chance. A bag crammed with cash comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian's feet. Suddenly the Cunningham brothers are rich. Very rich. They can buy anything they want. There's just one problem -- they have only seventeen days to spend all the money before it becomes worthless. And the crooks who stole the cash in the first place are closing in -- fast.

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a great book for middle school students for many reasons. Damian is a distracted young man who is obsessed with saints. He finds a bag of money and he and his bro ...continue

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a great book for middle school students for many reasons. Damian is a distracted young man who is obsessed with saints. He finds a bag of money and he and his brother must decide what to do with the money in less than 30 days.
Students can relate to Damian’s situation before he finds the money. Damian’s life is in a tailspin. His mother has died and he and his brother and father have moved from their house to a new neighborhood. Damian has taken refuge in religion and knows all of the saints by name. One day, a bag of money, in route to be destroyed, falls off of a train. Damian and his brother learn the principles of economics and inflation as they attempt to spend the money in 30 days, before it is worthless.
This book could be used in a math class as a literacy resource, not only for reading, but as a writing prompt as well. Middle school students would enjoy writing about what they would do with a bag of money.
In the end, Damian learns just how much of a burden money can be; and just how much the finer things like family and happiness are worth. I definitely recommend this book for 5th and 6th grade students, especially students who love money.

I enjoyed this novel, but the details about the saint I thought was a little distracting. Damian seemed a little odd with his obsession of the saints. This book might appeal to some students. I think ...continue

I enjoyed this novel, but the details about the saint I thought was a little distracting. Damian seemed a little odd with his obsession of the saints. This book might appeal to some students. I think they would imagine how they would spend the money they found. I think it would be an easy book to book talk because of the money element and all the questions you have from just reading the description.I did find it troubling that the father didn't feel it necessary to turn the money in but rather thought they should keep it and spend it.